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Title: Attraction of harlequin bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) to male-produced pheromone and host plants in the field

Author
item Weber, Donald
item CABRERA WALSH, GUILLERMO - Fuedei
item Leskey, Tracy
item Dimeglio, Anthony
item Athanas, Michael
item Chauhan, Kamlesh
item Khrimian, Ashot

Submitted to: Journal of Chemical Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/24/2014
Publication Date: 11/8/2014
Citation: Weber, D.C., Cabrera Walsh, G., Leskey, T.C., Dimeglio, A.S., Athanas, M.M., Chauhan, K.R., Khrimian, A. 2014. Attraction of harlequin bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) to male-produced pheromone and host plants in the field. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 40:1251-1259.

Interpretive Summary: The harlequin bug is a serious stink bug pest of cruciferous vegetables. New tools are needed for vegetable growers to manage this pest with reduced or no pesticide inputs. We investigated attractants for harlequin bugs as part of a larger project to develop new traps or trap crops to manage this pest. We found that both sexes of the adults, as well as the nymphs (young) of the harlequin bug, are attracted to the mixed preparation of its male-produced pheromone, murgantiol, described by Zahn et al. 2008. Potted plant hosts vary significantly in their attractiveness. They attract and accumulate many-fold more bugs when baited with the mixed pheromone preparation, than when the pheromone lure is absent. Results of this research will be useful to pest managers and researchers developing environmentally-friendly methods to manage vegetable pests. [D. K. Zahn, J. A. Moreira, and J. G. Millar, J. Chem. Ecol., 2008, 34, 238–251]

Technical Abstract: The harlequin bug is a serious stink bug pest of cruciferous vegetables. New tools are needed for vegetable growers to manage this pest with reduced or no pesticide inputs. We investigated attractants for harlequin bugs as part of a larger project to develop new traps or trap crops to manage this pest. We found that both sexes of the adults, as well as the nymphs (young) of the harlequin bug, are attracted to the mixed preparation of its male-produced pheromone, murgantiol, described by Zahn et al. 2008. Potted plant hosts vary significantly in their attractiveness. They attract and accumulate many-fold more bugs when baited with the mixed pheromone preparation, than when the pheromone lure is absent. Results of this research will be useful to pest managers and researchers developing environmentally-friendly methods to manage vegetable pests. [D. K. Zahn, J. A. Moreira, and J. G. Millar, J. Chem. Ecol., 2008, 34, 238–251]